Keschan Dabir

The lavish use of kork wool to emphasise the elegant construction of the medallion and its gem-like pendants, augmented by the circle of exquisite silk- encrusted palmettes presented in the field, suggest the work of Dabir Senayah, the most celebrated Kashan ustad (= master-weaver) of the early Pahlavi era. The pronounced Safavid character of the arabesque work in the main border – combining wonderful delicacy of detail with an overall impression of energy and vigour – further supports such an attribution, as does the majestic size of the work. A related medallion treatment may be found in two famous Isfahan examples from the same period, illustrated as plates 86 and 87 in the Hamburg Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe 1971 catalogue Persische Teppiche.